GITNUXREPORT 2026

Gaming Statistics

The global games market is massive and growing, reaching $184 billion in revenue last year.

Jannik Lindner

Co-Founder of Gitnux, specialized in content and tech since 2016.

First published: Feb 13, 2026

Our Commitment to Accuracy

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Statistic 1

Mobile devices account for 51% of total gaming time worldwide.

Statistic 2

PC represents 27% of global gaming playtime in 2023.

Statistic 3

Consoles make up 22% of worldwide gaming hours.

Statistic 4

Smartphones have 2.8 billion gaming users globally.

Statistic 5

PlayStation 5 sold 38.4 million units by end of 2023.

Statistic 6

Xbox Series X/S reached 21 million units sold in 2023.

Statistic 7

Nintendo Switch lifetime sales hit 132.5 million by 2023.

Statistic 8

Steam had 120 million monthly active users in 2023.

Statistic 9

Epic Games Store users grew to 230 million in 2023.

Statistic 10

Google Play gaming apps had 2.4 billion installs in 2023.

Statistic 11

Apple App Store gaming downloads: 25 billion since inception, 2023 data.

Statistic 12

Gaming laptops market share 25% of PC sales.

Statistic 13

VR headset shipments reached 13.7 million in 2023.

Statistic 14

Oculus Quest 2 sold over 15 million units by 2023.

Statistic 15

40% of gamers use multiple devices weekly.

Statistic 16

Tablets account for 8% of mobile gaming time.

Statistic 17

Cloud gaming users hit 295 million in 2023.

Statistic 18

PlayStation Network has 118 million monthly active users.

Statistic 19

Xbox Live: 180 million monthly active users in 2023.

Statistic 20

Nintendo Switch Online subscribers: 38 million.

Statistic 21

Handheld gaming devices like Steam Deck sold 1.5 million in 2023.

Statistic 22

Smart TVs used for gaming by 15% of households.

Statistic 23

Mobile esports viewership on 1.1 billion hours in 2023.

Statistic 24

PC gaming hardware revenue $37 billion in 2023.

Statistic 25

Console attach rate (games per console) at 7.2 in 2023.

Statistic 26

72% of mobile gamers play on iOS or Android exclusively.

Statistic 27

Global esports audience reached 532.3 million in 2023.

Statistic 28

Esports revenues hit $1.65 billion in 2023.

Statistic 29

443 million esports viewers watched regularly in 2023.

Statistic 30

Sponsorships accounted for 59% of esports revenue ($964 million).

Statistic 31

Media rights deals generated $227 million in esports 2023.

Statistic 32

Esports game publisher revenues: $458 million in 2023.

Statistic 33

League of Legends Worlds 2023 peaked at 6.94 million viewers.

Statistic 34

Dota 2 The International 2023 had $3.1 million prize pool from community.

Statistic 35

Valorant Champions 2023: 1.2 million peak viewers.

Statistic 36

Mobile esports like PUBG Mobile generated $1.2 billion revenue.

Statistic 37

Twitch averaged 2.4 million concurrent viewers daily in 2023.

Statistic 38

YouTube Gaming hours watched: 100 billion in 2023.

Statistic 39

Esports betting market $2.1 billion in 2023.

Statistic 40

Number of esports teams worldwide: over 1,500 pro teams.

Statistic 41

CS:GO/CS2 major 2023: 1.8 million peak viewers.

Statistic 42

Street Fighter 6 Esports Capcom Pro Tour: 100k+ viewers per event.

Statistic 43

Fortnite World Cup 2023 prize pool $4 million.

Statistic 44

Overwatch League restructured with $50 million investment in 2023.

Statistic 45

Call of Duty League 2023 season revenue $60 million.

Statistic 46

Rocket League Championship Series peak 250k viewers.

Statistic 47

Esports job market grew 20% with 10,000+ positions.

Statistic 48

Female esports participation 5% of pros but 30% viewers.

Statistic 49

Global gamers spent 2.25 hours per day on games on average in 2023.

Statistic 50

U.S. gamers play an average of 12.4 hours per week.

Statistic 51

Mobile gamers worldwide average 1 hour per day in sessions.

Statistic 52

54% of gamers play daily globally.

Statistic 53

Battle pass engagement sees 40% completion rate on average.

Statistic 54

68% of gamers prefer multiplayer games.

Statistic 55

Action games are played by 52% of global gamers.

Statistic 56

Shooters represent 18% of playtime worldwide.

Statistic 57

RPGs account for 15% of genre preference among PC gamers.

Statistic 58

75% of gamers use social features in games.

Statistic 59

Average session length for mobile games is 10 minutes.

Statistic 60

42% of gamers watch game streams weekly.

Statistic 61

Free-to-play games are 70% of playtime globally.

Statistic 62

U.S. gamers average 2.8 devices per person.

Statistic 63

Cross-platform play used by 60% of console gamers.

Statistic 64

30% of gamers spend on in-game items monthly.

Statistic 65

Sports games peak during events like FIFA World Cup.

Statistic 66

Hyper-casual games see 500 million daily active users.

Statistic 67

80% of gamers play on smartphones.

Statistic 68

Average churn rate for mobile games is 80% in first 3 days.

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Gamers spend 25% more time on story-driven games.

Statistic 70

65% of players engage in user-generated content.

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Mobile gaming downloads reached 90 billion in 2023.

Statistic 72

PC gamers average 8.5 hours per week.

Statistic 73

Console owners play 10.2 hours weekly on average.

Statistic 74

48% of global gamers play 1-5 hours weekly.

Statistic 75

The global games market revenue reached $184.4 billion in 2023, marking a 0.5% increase from 2022.

Statistic 76

Mobile gaming accounted for 49% of global gaming revenue in 2023, generating $90.4 billion.

Statistic 77

PC gaming revenue grew to $42.2 billion in 2023, up 1.4% year-over-year.

Statistic 78

Console gaming generated $52.1 billion in revenue in 2023, a slight increase from previous years.

Statistic 79

The U.S. games market revenue was $47.2 billion in 2023, representing 25.6% of the global total.

Statistic 80

China led global gaming revenue with $44.8 billion in 2023, despite regulatory challenges.

Statistic 81

Japan’s gaming market generated $20.1 billion in revenue in 2023.

Statistic 82

In-app purchases made up 62% of mobile game revenues worldwide in 2023.

Statistic 83

Global gaming ad revenue hit $84 billion in 2023, primarily from mobile.

Statistic 84

Subscriptions and live services contributed $22 billion to PC and console revenues in 2023.

Statistic 85

The global gaming market is projected to reach $189.3 billion in 2024.

Statistic 86

Europe’s gaming market revenue was $34.0 billion in 2023.

Statistic 87

Download sales represented 26% of mobile gaming revenue in 2023.

Statistic 88

Premium games on mobile generated $11.5 billion in 2023.

Statistic 89

Cloud gaming revenue reached $2.4 billion globally in 2023.

Statistic 90

Battle royale games generated over $20 billion in lifetime revenue by 2023.

Statistic 91

Roblox Corporation reported $2.8 billion in revenue for 2023.

Statistic 92

Epic Games’ Fortnite earned $5.1 billion in 2023.

Statistic 93

Candy Crush Saga lifetime revenue exceeded $20 billion by 2023.

Statistic 94

Pokémon GO generated $1.1 billion in revenue in 2023.

Statistic 95

Global video game spending hit $181.3 billion in 2022.

Statistic 96

U.S. gamers spent $58.8 billion on games in 2022.

Statistic 97

Digital downloads accounted for 93% of U.S. game sales in 2022.

Statistic 98

Physical game sales in the U.S. dropped to $1.4 billion in 2022.

Statistic 99

Mobile game apps generated $92 billion worldwide in 2022.

Statistic 100

Asia-Pacific region dominated with 47% of global gaming revenue in 2022.

Statistic 101

The gaming peripherals market was valued at $6.4 billion in 2023.

Statistic 102

VR gaming market revenue reached $12.5 billion in 2023.

Statistic 103

NFT gaming revenue peaked at $3.6 billion in 2021 but dropped in 2023.

Statistic 104

Global online gambling market in gaming contexts was $92.9 billion in 2023.

Statistic 105

There are 3.24 billion gamers worldwide as of 2023.

Statistic 106

56% of the global population plays video games in 2023.

Statistic 107

In the U.S., 190 million people play video games, or 59% of the population.

Statistic 108

Women make up 46% of U.S. gamers in 2023.

Statistic 109

The average age of U.S. gamers is 35 years old in 2023.

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16% of U.S. gamers are 55 years or older.

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Millennials represent 38% of global gamers.

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Gen Alpha (born 2010+) are 12% of gamers but growing fastest.

Statistic 113

In China, there are 668 million gamers as of 2023.

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India has 568 million gamers, the second largest market.

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41% of global gamers are female.

Statistic 116

Core gamers (play 7+ hours/week) make up 28% of players.

Statistic 117

Hyper-casual gamers represent 20% of mobile players.

Statistic 118

85% of gamers in Brazil play on mobile devices.

Statistic 119

U.S. parents report 76% of children under 18 play games.

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Gamers with disabilities represent 15% of the U.S. gaming population.

Statistic 121

Hispanic/Latino gamers are 21% of U.S. gamers.

Statistic 122

Black/African American gamers comprise 12% in the U.S.

Statistic 123

Asian American gamers are 7% of U.S. total.

Statistic 124

62% of gamers identify as PC gamers globally.

Statistic 125

Casual gamers outnumber hardcore by 3:1 worldwide.

Statistic 126

70% of gamers in MENA region are under 30 years old.

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Female gamers in Europe average 25 years old.

Statistic 128

95% of teens in the U.S. play video games.

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Hold onto your controllers because the gaming industry isn't just a niche hobby—it's a staggering $184.4 billion global economic powerhouse, where nearly half of all revenue comes from our pockets through mobile gaming.

Key Takeaways

The global games market revenue reached $184.4 billion in 2023, marking a 0.5% increase from 2022.
Mobile gaming accounted for 49% of global gaming revenue in 2023, generating $90.4 billion.
PC gaming revenue grew to $42.2 billion in 2023, up 1.4% year-over-year.
There are 3.24 billion gamers worldwide as of 2023.
56% of the global population plays video games in 2023.
In the U.S., 190 million people play video games, or 59% of the population.
Global gamers spent 2.25 hours per day on games on average in 2023.
U.S. gamers play an average of 12.4 hours per week.
Mobile gamers worldwide average 1 hour per day in sessions.
Mobile devices account for 51% of total gaming time worldwide.
PC represents 27% of global gaming playtime in 2023.
Consoles make up 22% of worldwide gaming hours.
Global esports audience reached 532.3 million in 2023.
Esports revenues hit $1.65 billion in 2023.
443 million esports viewers watched regularly in 2023.

The global games market is massive and growing, reaching $184 billion in revenue last year.

Device Usage

Mobile devices account for 51% of total gaming time worldwide.
PC represents 27% of global gaming playtime in 2023.
Consoles make up 22% of worldwide gaming hours.
Smartphones have 2.8 billion gaming users globally.
PlayStation 5 sold 38.4 million units by end of 2023.
Xbox Series X/S reached 21 million units sold in 2023.
Nintendo Switch lifetime sales hit 132.5 million by 2023.
Steam had 120 million monthly active users in 2023.
Epic Games Store users grew to 230 million in 2023.
Google Play gaming apps had 2.4 billion installs in 2023.
Apple App Store gaming downloads: 25 billion since inception, 2023 data.
Gaming laptops market share 25% of PC sales.
VR headset shipments reached 13.7 million in 2023.
Oculus Quest 2 sold over 15 million units by 2023.
40% of gamers use multiple devices weekly.
Tablets account for 8% of mobile gaming time.
Cloud gaming users hit 295 million in 2023.
PlayStation Network has 118 million monthly active users.
Xbox Live: 180 million monthly active users in 2023.
Nintendo Switch Online subscribers: 38 million.
Handheld gaming devices like Steam Deck sold 1.5 million in 2023.
Smart TVs used for gaming by 15% of households.
Mobile esports viewership on 1.1 billion hours in 2023.
PC gaming hardware revenue $37 billion in 2023.
Console attach rate (games per console) at 7.2 in 2023.
72% of mobile gamers play on iOS or Android exclusively.

Device Usage Interpretation

The data paints a clear portrait: mobile gaming has become the global colossus, casually dominating our time, while PCs, consoles, and a constellation of emerging platforms fiercely carve out their own vibrant, multi-billion-dollar kingdoms in an increasingly fragmented and omnivorous entertainment empire.

Esports Trends

Global esports audience reached 532.3 million in 2023.
Esports revenues hit $1.65 billion in 2023.
443 million esports viewers watched regularly in 2023.
Sponsorships accounted for 59% of esports revenue ($964 million).
Media rights deals generated $227 million in esports 2023.
Esports game publisher revenues: $458 million in 2023.
League of Legends Worlds 2023 peaked at 6.94 million viewers.
Dota 2 The International 2023 had $3.1 million prize pool from community.
Valorant Champions 2023: 1.2 million peak viewers.
Mobile esports like PUBG Mobile generated $1.2 billion revenue.
Twitch averaged 2.4 million concurrent viewers daily in 2023.
YouTube Gaming hours watched: 100 billion in 2023.
Esports betting market $2.1 billion in 2023.
Number of esports teams worldwide: over 1,500 pro teams.
CS:GO/CS2 major 2023: 1.8 million peak viewers.
Street Fighter 6 Esports Capcom Pro Tour: 100k+ viewers per event.
Fortnite World Cup 2023 prize pool $4 million.
Overwatch League restructured with $50 million investment in 2023.
Call of Duty League 2023 season revenue $60 million.
Rocket League Championship Series peak 250k viewers.
Esports job market grew 20% with 10,000+ positions.
Female esports participation 5% of pros but 30% viewers.

Esports Trends Interpretation

While over half a billion people now watch esports, making it a sprawling, multi-billion-dollar industry, sponsors still bankroll the show and the community's wallet—whether through battle passes or betting slips—remains the true, and often most passionate, financier of the spectacle.

Gaming Habits

Global gamers spent 2.25 hours per day on games on average in 2023.
U.S. gamers play an average of 12.4 hours per week.
Mobile gamers worldwide average 1 hour per day in sessions.
54% of gamers play daily globally.
Battle pass engagement sees 40% completion rate on average.
68% of gamers prefer multiplayer games.
Action games are played by 52% of global gamers.
Shooters represent 18% of playtime worldwide.
RPGs account for 15% of genre preference among PC gamers.
75% of gamers use social features in games.
Average session length for mobile games is 10 minutes.
42% of gamers watch game streams weekly.
Free-to-play games are 70% of playtime globally.
U.S. gamers average 2.8 devices per person.
Cross-platform play used by 60% of console gamers.
30% of gamers spend on in-game items monthly.
Sports games peak during events like FIFA World Cup.
Hyper-casual games see 500 million daily active users.
80% of gamers play on smartphones.
Average churn rate for mobile games is 80% in first 3 days.
Gamers spend 25% more time on story-driven games.
65% of players engage in user-generated content.
Mobile gaming downloads reached 90 billion in 2023.
PC gamers average 8.5 hours per week.
Console owners play 10.2 hours weekly on average.
48% of global gamers play 1-5 hours weekly.

Gaming Habits Interpretation

While the average global gamer spends over two daily hours in digital worlds—a commitment rivaling a part-time job—these stats reveal a community that is deeply social, platform-agnostic, and fiercely devoted to its multiplayer battle passes, even if it abandons hyper-casual games faster than a dropped controller.

Market Revenue

The global games market revenue reached $184.4 billion in 2023, marking a 0.5% increase from 2022.
Mobile gaming accounted for 49% of global gaming revenue in 2023, generating $90.4 billion.
PC gaming revenue grew to $42.2 billion in 2023, up 1.4% year-over-year.
Console gaming generated $52.1 billion in revenue in 2023, a slight increase from previous years.
The U.S. games market revenue was $47.2 billion in 2023, representing 25.6% of the global total.
China led global gaming revenue with $44.8 billion in 2023, despite regulatory challenges.
Japan’s gaming market generated $20.1 billion in revenue in 2023.
In-app purchases made up 62% of mobile game revenues worldwide in 2023.
Global gaming ad revenue hit $84 billion in 2023, primarily from mobile.
Subscriptions and live services contributed $22 billion to PC and console revenues in 2023.
The global gaming market is projected to reach $189.3 billion in 2024.
Europe’s gaming market revenue was $34.0 billion in 2023.
Download sales represented 26% of mobile gaming revenue in 2023.
Premium games on mobile generated $11.5 billion in 2023.
Cloud gaming revenue reached $2.4 billion globally in 2023.
Battle royale games generated over $20 billion in lifetime revenue by 2023.
Roblox Corporation reported $2.8 billion in revenue for 2023.
Epic Games’ Fortnite earned $5.1 billion in 2023.
Candy Crush Saga lifetime revenue exceeded $20 billion by 2023.
Pokémon GO generated $1.1 billion in revenue in 2023.
Global video game spending hit $181.3 billion in 2022.
U.S. gamers spent $58.8 billion on games in 2022.
Digital downloads accounted for 93% of U.S. game sales in 2022.
Physical game sales in the U.S. dropped to $1.4 billion in 2022.
Mobile game apps generated $92 billion worldwide in 2022.
Asia-Pacific region dominated with 47% of global gaming revenue in 2022.
The gaming peripherals market was valued at $6.4 billion in 2023.
VR gaming market revenue reached $12.5 billion in 2023.
NFT gaming revenue peaked at $3.6 billion in 2021 but dropped in 2023.
Global online gambling market in gaming contexts was $92.9 billion in 2023.

Market Revenue Interpretation

The gaming industry’s modest 0.5% growth in 2023, a year that still raked in over $184 billion, proves that even when the world stumbles, it does so onto a giant pile of money.

Player Demographics

There are 3.24 billion gamers worldwide as of 2023.
56% of the global population plays video games in 2023.
In the U.S., 190 million people play video games, or 59% of the population.
Women make up 46% of U.S. gamers in 2023.
The average age of U.S. gamers is 35 years old in 2023.
16% of U.S. gamers are 55 years or older.
Millennials represent 38% of global gamers.
Gen Alpha (born 2010+) are 12% of gamers but growing fastest.
In China, there are 668 million gamers as of 2023.
India has 568 million gamers, the second largest market.
41% of global gamers are female.
Core gamers (play 7+ hours/week) make up 28% of players.
Hyper-casual gamers represent 20% of mobile players.
85% of gamers in Brazil play on mobile devices.
U.S. parents report 76% of children under 18 play games.
Gamers with disabilities represent 15% of the U.S. gaming population.
Hispanic/Latino gamers are 21% of U.S. gamers.
Black/African American gamers comprise 12% in the U.S.
Asian American gamers are 7% of U.S. total.
62% of gamers identify as PC gamers globally.
Casual gamers outnumber hardcore by 3:1 worldwide.
70% of gamers in MENA region are under 30 years old.
Female gamers in Europe average 25 years old.
95% of teens in the U.S. play video games.

Player Demographics Interpretation

The data paints a vivid portrait of modern gaming: it's no longer a niche teenage hobby but a truly universal pastime where nearly half the players are women, the average gamer is a 35-year-old adult, and your grandma might well be a more dedicated player than the kid next door.